The College Crowd Digs Me

"How she ever gonna love you when she can't parlez vous your Francais?" ~ New York Dolls ~ NO SPOILERS: In American Gods ...we are reminded that there was a time when people worshiped Gods. Mythology books are filled with them. And many people believed in fairies and leprechauns and endless legends about many kinds of something or others worthy of our adoration. But that was then and this is now. People who once kowtowed to these Gods of legend...have long since migrated to the United States. And there are new Gods now. Gods of Fashion. Gods of Hollywood. Gods of Internet... Well, now the forgotten and ignored Gods are pissed. Neil Gaiman (of The Sandman fame) weaves a 588 page story that carries the reader along the beaten paths of America via our hero...Shadow, a recently released jailbird...who is reluctantly thrown into an other-worldly storm that is brewing between the past and present. "It's Too Late" - New York Dolls /  Too M...

"So what becomes of all the little boys, who run away from home? Well the world just keeps gettin' bigger, once you get out on your own". Tom Waits The word “cool” is often hard to define, but you easily know it when you see it. Tom Waits , the beatnik troubadour is the epitome of cool. Natural, unfeigned cool. Not the posturing and glamming that so often is passed off to the consumer as being cool. And he is one of the most unappreciated musical legends working in the business today. Critically acclaimed and commercially ignored, Tom has been writing and performing atmospheric songs about the less than glamorous side of life for the last four decades. In his rough 3 pack-a-day throaty voice, Tom delivers lines in a singing, sometimes talking manner, easily convincing listeners that his characters are real. However, being a fan of Waits , I have learned that turning my ...

"Watching eyes of celluloid tell you how to live, Metaphoric motor replay, give, give, give!" Black Sabbath NO SPOILERS: "They Live" ...is one of those films you just ...GET...or it misses your radar completely. A sci-fi thriller with some very funny moments, director John Carpenter obviously filmed this gem on a down-low budget. Which explains the somewhat cheesy special effects. But it IS these cheesy moments that really sell the film. Handing the lead role to Roddy Piper (pro wrestler fame) was a masterstroke. Roddy delivers a surprisingly near-flawless performance playing a drifter in search of construction work. "They Live" takes place in a metro city in the near future and Carpenter immediately shows a place filled with homeless and near homeless families living in boxes and small rooms. They are good people trying to avoid drawing attention from the heavily controlled police state. It is here where Rod...

"I heard Woodrow Wilson's guns. I heard Maria crying. Late last night I heard the news That Veracruz was dying." Warren Zevon Anyone who dismisses the late Warren Zevon as merely a novelty artist, is probably only familiar with his lone hit single, “ Werewolves of London.” However, those who are hip to the scene, are aware that the excessively satiric songwriter is capable of far more than just shrugged-off rockers. For the uninitiated, Zevon’s third album, “Excitable Boy” is an excellent introduction to this underrated songwriters work. On the magical opening track, “ Johnny Strikes Up the Band ”, good vibes just ooze out of the speakers. But then, the ever unpredictable Zevon does a three sixty, and takes us into much darker territory with the cult favorite “Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner” , a haunting rocker about Roland, who is betrayed and murdered by the CIA, and his headless body’s quest to seek revenge against his killer. It...

"In this place, full of empty space, Your soft and tender love will always shine for me." ~  Robin Trower  ~ NO SPOILERS: Taking place in the 12th century, this historical fiction "The Walking Drum" (surprisingly written by "the king of western novels" ... Louis L'Amour ) revolves around a young man... Kerbouchard ...who travels the Muslim world and dangerous seas in search for his noble father. This swashbuckling adventure is filled with nonstop action as our hero meets honorable men and untrustworthy characters. Beautiful women and loyal friends. A time where knowledge is power. And honor is everything. Our skilled warrior, Kerbouchard , is also a scholar and a lover of the ladies. And is given great lines to throw out to his enemies and sweeties that will cause you to smile. Plus L’Amour weaves in plenty of historical facts from the era that fascinate without slowing down the action. Have you heard this gem? "In This Pla...

" Like a stranger in my own home town... My so called friends stopped being friendly." ~ Elvis ~ NO SPOILERS: " Saboteur " (Alfred Hitchcock 1942) ...if made today would obviously be called, "Terrorist", and is as relevant now as it was back then.  And what impresses most about this black and white film is how good it looks and how much excitement it provides. The story revolves around a young factory worker (played terrifically by Robert Cummings ) who is wrongfully accused of sabotage. He immediately goes on the run trying to find the scum whose responsible. On the way, he meets a slew of wonderfully peculiar supporting characters that Hitchcock throws into the mix that makes for a tasty cinema stew. This film is good stuff and highly recommended. MUST SEE MOMENT: The desperate way our hero breaks out of his handcuffs .  And the odd encounter with the traveling circus people is not to be missed. " Stranger In My Own...

" You got to think of what it's gonna take to make your dreams " ~ Aerosmith ~ NO SPOILERS:   This action-filled novel by James Rollins is the proverbial page-turner. This fast-paced adventure, reminiscent of an Indiana Jones thriller except with a tad more violence cooks! And Rollins has thrown in enough scientific ideas ripped from the daily papers to make the story biting and believable. A group of doctors and scientists return to the deep rain forests to find a lost member who appears to have stumbled upon a substance that can regenerate limbs and possibly cure cancer.  The imaginative and dangerous obstacles that lurk throughout the region make for an awesomely delicious ride. Amazonia ...is a book you'll hate to put down...simply because "thrills" from your own life have pulled you away. "Make It"   -  Aerosmith  (1973) Good evening people, welcome to the show Got somethin' here I want you all to know When laughi...